Lonely Planet™ · Thorn Tree Forum · 2020

One Month In Pacific Islands

Country forums / Pacific Islands & Papua New Guinea

I am working at a school in India and would like to spend one of my breaks in the Pacific Islands. I don't know a lot about the area-which islands are a must see? Which airport is the best to fly into from Delhi? How is commuting between islands? Better to go during June or January?

Thanks!

The Pacific Islands are not really about "must see sights".

I am quite sure you will find Fiji the cheapest country in the South Pacific to get to - it even has direct flights from Hong Kong. For most others, you would have to fly via Australia or Japan, unless you go for northern Micronesia, which can be accessed via Hong Kong or Manila, too.

Within each country, you can usually (!) choose to travel between islands by boat or plane, but to get from one island nation to another, you will almost invariably have to fly.

For the South Pacific, June is generally better than January.

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What do you see yourself doing in the islands? that could give more direction to our advice.
Incidentally, Fiji has a large Indian population. Would this be a help or a hindrance?

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Any kind of outdoor activity sounds appealing to me. I enjoy surfing, hiking, biking, etc. so natural beauty and outdoor fun is really top of the list. A large Indian population is not a hindrance-l live in India and really enjoy their culture.

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So probably Fiji it should be for you.
You might find it interesting how the Indian culture has been modified there, too.
Due to its long experience with tourism, the country probably offers the widest range of activities in the South Pacific, and its hundreds of islands are very diverse.
For natural beauty and outdoor activities, you should put both Taveuni and Viti Levu (the main island) high on your list of islands to explore.

Incidentally, Fiji is also the main regional transport hub of the South Pacific,so if your budget allows it, you could also extend your trip and catch a flight from there to any of 9 other Pacific island nations, or of course to super-outdoorsy New Zealand.

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